You may wonder why, if Blood Lily is set in the autumn of 1804, it comes before Orchid Affair, which runs from January to April 1804. The series hit a crossroads somewhere around Night Jasmine. One fork in the road led to India and Blood Lily. The other led back to Paris, the League of the Pink Carnation, and TheOrchid Affair. I decided to take the India route, then double back to follow the plotline in France. It all comes together eventually (I promise!), but that’s why the chronology diverges.

The modern story follows chronologically in the order laid out above, including an Eloise and Colin segment in the novella, Ivy and Intrigue. For those who are curious, here’s the modern timeline:

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (October 2003)

The Masque of the Black Tulip (October 2003)

The Deception of the Emerald Ring (November 2003)

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (December 2003)

Ivy and Intrigue (December 2003)

The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (January 2004)

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (February 2004)

The Orchid Affair (March 2004)

The Garden Intrigue (May 2004)

The Passion of the Purple Plumeria (July 2004)

The Mischief of the Mistletoe has no modern component—although the author is not ruling out the possibility that the “lost chapters” may yet be discovered and posted on the website.